Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves Showcase Strong Chemistry in Lakers' Preseason Victory

Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves Lead Lakers to Preseason Win

The connection between Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves was on full display during the Lakers’ 114-110 preseason victory over the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Even though it was just a preseason matchup, their teamwork hinted at what fans can expect this season.

The pair combined on the first play of the game, with Reaves finding Doncic as he made a cut to the basket, finishing with a score despite drawing a foul. Both shared the court for 25 minutes, contributing significantly to the win.

• Luka Doncic: 23 points, shooting six-for-16
• Austin Reaves: 8 points on two-for-seven shooting, 8 assists, 5 rebounds

Doncic’s highlight came in the second quarter when he nailed a long-range, one-legged three-pointer off a feed from teammate Sandro Mamukelashvili, who scored 19 points himself. Meanwhile, Reaves impressed with a slick hesitation move late in the second quarter, freezing defender Emanuel Sharp before calmly scoring a layup along the baseline.

Coach JJ Redick on Their On-Court Rapport

“I think there’s good chemistry with each other. It’s just the natural way they like each other. They enjoy playing together,” said JJ Redick. “Having them both on the floor means automatically two ballhandlers at all times, which is an underrated aspect in today’s NBA.”

Injury Updates

The Lakers faced some absences in this preseason phase. Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton missed their third consecutive preseason game, while Ziaire Williams sat out his second straight. Additionally, Cameron Carr, Dalton Knecht, and Arthur Kaluma did not play.

Kessler, a key addition from the Utah Jazz, has been recovering from a finger injury sustained after hitting the backboard during practice. Coach Redick shared, “We’ve got to check in tomorrow. It’s not concerning. He’ll play in the preseason.”

Williams has been dealing with soreness, but nothing worrisome according to Redick.